Foldable sawhorse



Feb. 25, 1958 J. BLENSKI 2,824,771

FOLDABLE SAWHORSE Filed April 19 1954 INVENTQR.

MK: MW

United States FOLDABLE SAWHORSE Joseph Blenski, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Fred Riefschneider, Milwaukee, Wis.

The present invention relates generally to improvements in devices of the type commonly known as sawhorses, and relates more particularly to improvements in the construction and operation of foldable or portable sawhorses.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved portable work-supporting structure which is extremely compact, sturdy and durable in construction and which is moreover highly efficient and safe in actual use.

It is, of course, common practice to utilize supporting structures having an elongated supporting member .and outwardly flaring legs for supporting diverse types of work at a convenient height. Furthermore, it has been heretofore proposed to construct such work-supporting structures or sawhorses in such a manner as to render the same collapsible or foldable for greater portability and storage. However, for the most part, these prior foldablestructures are undesirably bulky and complicated and are therefore objectionably costly to fabricate and assemble for ultimate use. in addition, the working parts embodied in many of these previously proposed assemblages has been found to result in relatively unstable and unsafe structures, especially after a period of use.

It is therefore a more specific object of my present invention to provide a unitary foldable work-supporting structure which obviates the objections and disadvantages heretofore attendant devices of this general type.

Another specific object of this invention is to provide an improved work-supporting sawhorse which comprises a minimum number of parts which may be readily fabricated and assembled from available materials at low cost.

.Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved portable sawhorse or work-support which may be readily formed of sheet metal with the aid of punches and dies to thereby render the same extremely sturdy durable and safe even when subjected to heavy loads.

Still another specific object of my present invention is to provide an improved work-supporting structure which may be readily extended or collapsed by a novice in an exceedingly simple manner without the aid of any tools whatsoever and in which the supporting legs may be positively firmly locked in place when extended.

An additional specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable sawhorse comprising, an elongated inverted substantially U-shaped work-support having sets of spaced inwardly directed lugs on the side walls thereof, and legs pivotally secured to the side walls adjacent to each set of lugs for swinging movement parallel to the plane of the wall to which the leg is secured and into the space between the lugs of the adjacent set.

These and other specific objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

A clear conception of the several features constituting the present invention and of the mode of constructing and of utilizing portable work-supporting sawhorses embody- 2,824,771 Patented Feb. 25, 1958 ing the invention may be had by referring to the drawing accompanying and forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate the same or similar parts in the various views,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a typical sawhorse embodying the invention and showing the same in fully extended and work-supporting condition;

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view of the improved device but showing the legs thereof in partially collapsed condition;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the sawhorse in fully collapsed condition with the legs nested entirely within the work supporting beam and with a portion of one leg broken away to reveal normally concealed structure;

Fig. 4 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary section through one of the leg supporting lugs and its adjacent leg in extended condition, the section having been taken along the line 44 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary end view of the sawhorse with the legs extended and locked in position, a portion of one of the legs again being broken away for clarity.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described herein as being especially applicable to a worksupporting sawhorse fabricated entirely of sheet metal and angle irons and having four outwardly flaring supporting legs, it is not desired or intended to thereby unnecessarily limit or restrict the scope of the invention since the structure could obviously be modified in appearance with other materials being substituted and with any desired number of legs being provided; and it is also contemplated that certain specific descriptive terms used herein shall be given the broadest possible interpretation consistent with the disclosure.

Referring to the drawing, the improved portable worksupporting sawhorses shown therein as embodying the invention comprises, in general, an elongated sheet metal work-supporting beam 8 having a flat work engaging top 9 and depending and outwardly flaring integral side walls 10 to thereby impart a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-section to the beam, the side walls 19 being formed with opposed sets of spaced integral and inwardly directed lugs 11, 12 on their adjacent surfaces near opposite ends of the beam; supportinglegs 13 of angle iron or the like pivotally secured as at 14 at the upper ends thereof to the respective side walls 16 of the beam 8 adjacent to each set of lugs 11, 12, the legs 13 being swingable about their respective pivots 14, and in a plane parallel to the plane of the wall to which they are secured, from a nested position within the space between the walls 1% as shown in Fig. 3 to extended position wherein they are seated within the respective spaces between the lugs 11, 12 of the adjacent sets as shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5; and means such as a locking arm or brace element 15 coacting with each pair of opposing legs 13 at points intermediate the ends thereof to positively maintain the same in extended and seated position within the spaces between the lugs 11, 12.

As indicated the work-supporting beam 8 is preferably formed of sheet metal and is shaped with the aid of punches and dies with the lugs 11, 12 being formed integral with the beam likewise with the aid of punches and dies. As shown, the lug 11 nearest to the end of the beam of each set of such legs is preferably somewhat larger than the lug 12 and is located slightly above the lug 12 of each set so that the legs 13 in extended position have a larger area of contact at the sides thereof adjacent to the ends of the beam. The lugs 11, 12 are also preferably wedgeshaped with the ends thereof of largest area facing or being adjacent to each other to provide positive seating surfaces for the respective legs, and these lugs are also preferably, but not necessarily, of substantial V-formation as shown so as to provide for greater strength and rigidity.

The legs13 may be conveniently formed of angle iron to provide strength and rigidity, and the locking arms or braces 15 may be pivotally secured to one leg of each set V as at 16 with the freeend of the arm 15 being provided with a hook IZeng aging a lug or k-nob IS'carried by'thef' other legof the set thus resulting ina u nit'ar y structure with no loose parts- In actual use, the improved extended from collapsed condition as shown in Fig 3 to extended position as shown in Fig. 1-by merely swinging the legs 13 aboutthei'r'respeetive pivots i l in a plane parallel tothe plane of the respective walls'lt) :to which the legs are attached; As the legs 13 are swung-away 'from thetop 9 of the beam, they slide over the'wed'g eshaped smaller-lug 12 of the respectivesets andinto seated positionwithinthe spaces between the-lugsjll, 12; and to positively'lock the *legs 13 insuch extended con dition and into the seats between thelugs, the arm 15 f each pair of-legs'is swung about its pivot 16 so thatrthe hook 17' thereof is received' by and is hooked over the,

lug 18; of the other'leg of each set, t'nereby positively pre venting displacement of the legs from within-the seatprovidedtbetween the respective lugs 11,;12 of each set.

saw horse m a-se ,7 maybe manufactured in To again swing the legsinto' nested condition,;so' asto render the unit portable, it is only necessary to swing the'arms 15 upwardly about their respective pivotjlir to release the hook17 thereof from its lug 18 as shown in Fig.2 and to thereafter exert slight pressure inwardlyon each of :the legs 13 so as to slide the same over the smaller lug 12 of each set of' lugs and swing the same about the pivot 14 toward the top wall 9 of the beam-8 until the legs ,13 are all in nested conditiorrwithin the beam as shown inFig. 3. v I a V a J ,7 From the foregoing detailed description, it is'believed apparent that the present invention contemplatesthc provision of a'work-supporting sawhorse which is extremely portableas well as simple and durablein construction and" highly efi'icient in actual use. The pivotal attachment 14 for each of the legs 13 may be in the form of-a rivet located above the adjacent set of lugs 11, Hand between the same, and the arm or brace 15 may likewise 'be pivotallyrsecured to its carrying leg,13 by means-of a rivet or the like. The improved sawhorseis preferably formed of metal so as to impart a degree of resiliency to the legs so. as to permit the same to be bent slightly in order to pass the smaller lug 12 of each set of lugs when:

thelegs are swung to nested condition, and the lugs 11 12 are also somewhat resilient but provide a firmand secure seat forjthe legs when extended; The improved sawhorses have, in fact, been put into commercial use'and ,5

have met with considerable acceptance by the trade; and

1. A portable sawhorse tcomprising an el ngatedinverted substantially U-shaped; work-supportingbeamhaving the side walls thereof provided with opposed sets of spaced integral and: inwardly directed wedge shaped lugs' on their adjacent surfaces near opposite ends of said beam, the lug of each set-nearest to-the'end of said beam being larger than and located slightly above the other lug of said set, supporting legsrpivotally secured to the side walls of said beam above and between the lugs, of each set for nesting in the. spaceib etweeni the:wallsi andnfior swinging movement in a plane parallel tov the plan'e oi thetwall to which the respective legs aretsccured andinto seated position within the space between thelugs ofithe= adjacent set and means cooperable with each pair of op posing legs for positively maintaining the samefimspaced condition. and in position within their respective seats;

2. A portable sawhorse comprising, an. elongatedirI- verted substantially Ur-shap'ed and open endedsheet metal work-supporting. beam. having the sidei walls 1 thereof formed with opposed sets ofspaced integral and inwardly directed wedge shaped lugs on their adjacent surfaces near opposite ends of said beam, the lug-of each set nearest:

to the end o'ftsaidt beam being larger than the other lugq I of the set, supporting legs pivotally secured at the upper, ends thereof to the side walls of said beam, above and between the lugs of each set' for nesting in the space between the walls and for swinging moveme'nttin-a plane parallel to the plane of the wall to which the'respective:

legs are'secured andtinto seated position within thespaca between the lugs of the'adjacent set, and.a:locking1-ann:'

pivotally secured to'one leg of eachtpair and cooperabla p with the. other leg of the pair to positively space; saidrlegsf;

and maintain. thezsarnein said seated position;

References Cited in the file of. thispatent 1,778,566 Pitner -QQCTI T4, 1 930" $174,952 Spikings Q Oc't.,3; T939 2,330,766-

Walstrom Sept.

quantity at relative low cost'to 

